Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge

[Bob Armstrong]

I played in the last three CO's in Kitchener, Ottawa & Montreal. So this year I decided to make it four in a row ( after not having played in one since 1968). So at 9:50 AM on Friday, I headed off with West Jet to Edmonton, Alberta. When we lifted off, the pilot gave us the happy news that Edmonton was at 4degrees that morning - burrrr.

But when we arrived it was about 18-20 degrees, and sunny. All went well, and I ended up at Grant MacEwan College Residence, where I and Alex Ferreira ( of Hart House, U of T fame ) were sharing a unit. To my delight, there was a Timmy's just across the street, so I'd have a place to go for my 6:00 AM coffees ( I sleep little during chess tournaments ). The only hitch, was that at the one complimentary computer in the lobby, someone had managed to log off, which they weren't supposed to be able to do. And of course, no one at the reception desk had a clue what the password was. So an out of order sign got posted on it. And there went my idea of blogging this CO like I did last year's in Montreal. Alex arrived later, and we spent the evening finding a place to eat, and getting acquainted with the downtown, and where the playing site was.

I'm going to try to keep up on the progress of the 8 Toronto players here who are all in the U 2000 class with me. After 2 rounds, here is how we all stand:

1. Jonathan Farine ( 1894 ) - 1.5
2. Tyler Longo ( 1992 ) - 1 ( Scarborough CC member )
3. Brendan Fan ( 1992 ) - 1
4. Alex Ferreira ( 1987 ) - 1 ( Scarborough CC member )
5. Dalia Kagramanov ( 1941 ) - 1
6. Omar Shah ( 1921 ) - 1 ( past Scarborough CC member, and winner of the U 2000 section last year in the Montreal CO ).
7. Sam Arfin ( 1916 ) - 1 ( Scarborough CC member )
8. Bob Armstrong ( 1831 ) - 1 ( Scarborough CC member & your intrepid blogger )

Now what is critical to know is that a lot rides on this CO. Five of the 8 Toronto U 2000 players ( Farine, Longo, Ferreira, Shah and Armstrong ) have a side bet. The highest score among them gets the other 4 to contribute $ 20 each toward the winners entry fee in the Toronto Labour Day Open in September, with the one stipulation, that the winner must agree to play up a section. Pretty heavy pressure !!

Now you may wonder how I'm blogging now, if the residence computer is down ( and I don't have a laptop ). Well it is thanks to the generosity of Omar. Alex had brought a relic of a laptop from the 90's, but in his haste to leave, grabbed the wrong cable. And of course, Future shop had no adapter for his relic. So we were stranded - both options closed. But on Sunday, Omar said some of the other guys he was staying with ( Jon, Tyler and Liam Henry from Toronto ) had laptops, and he'd lend us his for the week. So here I am on Monday morning, able to entertain myself by blogging this CO.

Well, since I'm a governor, I'm off to the CFC's outgoing AGM this morning at 9:00 AM. Alex has, against his better judgment, decided to come to the first 2 hours of the meeting ( he'll be bored ! ), when he'll them go to play a simul against WGM Xue Zhao from China who is playing in the Open. I'll also be attending the incoming governors' AGM on Tuesday, if I survive today in tact ( I have 3 motions on the agenda ). I'll try to report some or the highlights, such as they may be.

I played an FM in round 1, Eric Hansen, and got a good attack, but then at a critical point, played defensively when I had to play aggressively, and allowed him to bolster his defence, and I was stalled. I tried an R-sac to continue my attack but it petered out and I lost. This morning I play a master ( drew 2 in the PwC Toronto Open - my first time drawing a master ). So I like to think I have chances this morning.

Wish me luck.

Bob

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge

Here is wishing you lots of luck Bob!

I watched a little bit of your game with Hansen (I was watching it near the end when it was live on Monroi) and it seemed pretty hairy...

PLEASE post the results of the CFC election - I doubt everyone wants to wait for the next GL ... (and of course any other CFC trvia you think we might enjoy knowing!)

[John Coleman]

Re: Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge

Thanks for the update. I find it peculiar that there appears to be no reports anywhere. Or none that I can find.

[Ken Craft]

Re: Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge

Can't wait for the latest update. Bob has my proxy...

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge

Thanks for the update. I find it peculiar that there appears to be no reports anywhere. Or none that I can find.

Did you mean reports about the Canadian Open or the CFC AGM?
Just curious because I cannot tell what you meant...

What is even more interesting is that Bob posted here on ChessTalk and there is nothing at all on the CFC forum...

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge

I find it peculiar that there appears to be no reports anywhere.

There was a thread with a list of Canadian blogs. Some players post on their blogs, e.g.,

http://theratwhowouldbeking.blogspot.com/ ("Yesterday morning I played Mickey Adams on the black side of a Tarrasch.")

http://terry-chaisson.blogspot.com/ (The morning started with the simul against England's GM, Michael Adams (2699).


http://chessmanitoba.blogspot.com/ (looks like only results of Monitobans)

http://www.gpchessclub.com/canadianopen2009blog (by Tim Pradzinski)

[John Coleman]

Re: Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge

Thank you. I meant, no OFFICIAL report. Probably every other national championship has a daily "press release". It's a shame, really. I suppose we'll just have to wait till the magazine comes out.

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge

I was at the CFC meeting this morning and it was uneventful. The incoming stuff was done by 12:30. 8 governors present (no pres (except by phone - briefly), no vp, no sec, no treas), and 3 or 4 spectators - so proxies for everyone. Bob's motion did not pass.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge

I was at the CFC meeting this morning and it was uneventful. The incoming stuff was done by 12:30. 8 governors present (no pres (except by phone - briefly), no vp, no sec, no treas), and 3 or 4 spectators - so proxies for everyone. Bob's motion did not pass.

incoming? maybe outgoing.

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge

Hi Kerry:

Normally I try to post on the CFC Chess Forum for CFC affairs. But since I'm really blogging ( the CFC AGM is tangential ), I thought it might be of interest to ChessTalkers ( which is really a busier site than the CFC one ).

But I agree that it would be nice if the CFC had someone reporting on the other site.

Since I'm now a governor, I guess I'm criticizing myself ! Maybe I'll copy my post there if no one else is doing anything.

Bob

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge - After Rd. 3

Well, the weekend warrior is still alive and kicking. Monday I got lucky - I was playing a master from BC ( who was from Brazil ), and who had played little in the last 5 years, and felt quite rusty. We played a rather quiet standard Tarrasch opening with Black being a bit cramped initially and having difficulty developing a plan. On move 13 I played a rather innocuous Nc5, attacking his bad B on d7. Lo and behold he puts it back on c8. I looked at it a bit, and couldn't see a plan, so decided to move my N back to e4 to see what he would do. He put his B back on d7. Well I know a draw offer when I see one, so I immediately played Nc5 again. He looked at me and asked: Draw?? I needed little encouragement to agree, against a master. He advised that he felt I had gotten a substantial opening advantage, and he thought a draw from the position was OK. He seemed quite sincere, so I doubt it was a swiss gambit.

So here are the standings of the Toronto 8 in the U 2000 class:

1. Brendan Fan ( 1992 ) - 2
2. Dalia Kagramanov ( 1941 ) - 2
3. Omar Shah ( 1921 ) - 2 ( past Scarborough CC member, and winner of the U 2000 section last year in the Montreal CO ).
4. Sam Arfin ( 1916 ) - 2 ( Scarborough CC member )
5. Jonathan Farine ( 1894 ) - 1.5
6. Bob Armstrong ( 1831 ) - 1.5 ( Scarborough CC member & your intrepid blogger )
7. Tyler Longo ( 1992 ) - 1 ( Scarborough CC member )
8. Alex Ferreira ( 1987 ) - 1 ( Scarborough CC member )

So Omar leads the Group of 5 side bet ( Omar, Bob, Alex, Tyler and Jonathan ) for the entry fee to the Toronto Labour Day ( the four losers have to each contribute $ 20 to the winner's entry fee ).

Now one thing of major importance did occur today, and Omar made a special plea that it get a place of prominence in the blog today. There is a specialty prize for each round based on the " magic square " as we call it at the Scarborough CC. Before Rd. 1, the organizers decided on a move that will win a prize - for Saturday, it was Ra8. So the player who earliest in his game put the R on a8 won a year's membership to ICC. And who was one of the winners - Omar ! but he tied with another player who also on move 19 put his R on a8. So they put the 2 names in a hat, and who got drawn out? OMAR !! Congratulations Omar. He wins a prize already, is leading ( tied ) for the U 2000 class prize, and is leading in the sidebet. Go for it Omar.

Monday also was important for the fact that the outgoing CFC governors held their AGM in the morning. Well, important to some people - the CFC President was not there, although he called in and answered questions by speakerphone for a few minutes ); the VP was not there ( he was covering for his boss and couldn't get time off ); the Treasurer and Secretary and Junior Coordinator were not there. There were a grand total of 8 out of 61 governors present - and there were only 17 proxies sent in - a grand total of 25 governors of 61 checking in at the main meeting of the year. Something seems wrong with this picture. There were also 4 CFC ordinary members who attended.

Reports of some of the executive were filed, but for some there was no report ( not too good ).

5 motions were dealt with:

Motion 2009-10 - passed - imposing a Canadian activity criteria and rating maintenance criteria on Canadians applying for FIDE titles - a good thing in my mind to keep the integrity of Canadian titles.

Motion 2009-11 & 12 - legitimizing the Ontario regional system of electing CFC Governors - passed with 2/3 majority ( these motions were filed on my behalf ).

Motion 2009 - 13 - instituting YCC qualifiers in the provinces for the CYCC which will no longer be open to everyone - passed with one amendment increasing those eligible for the CYCC - another good motion in my view.

Motion 2009 -14 - reducing the number of provincial representation governors by 50% ( this motion was filed on behalf of the CFC Constitutional Coalition, for whom I am the Coordinator ) - failed ( only got 8 votes, and needed 16 to get a 2/3 majority ).

Motion 2009 - 15 - altering the roles of the officers of the CFC - got tabled because it was felt there were many amendments governors wanted to bring before it would be acceptable, and the meeting wanted all governors to be able to comment.

So that's it folks. Alex is falling asleep while I'm blogging in his bedroom, and we have the incoming governors AGM today at 9:00 AM ( Alex is masochistic - he is willing to come to his second AGM meeting, despite lack of enthusiasm about the Monday meeting ). See you after Rd. 4 today.

Bob

[Ken Craft]

Re: Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge

It has been becoming more and more clear over the years that the CFC AGM should be done via teleconferencing. There is very little interest in flying somewhere to attend the AGM in person.

Thanks for holding my proxy, Bob.

[John Brown]

Re: Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge

With 60 governors I think it is a disgrace that only a few are voting to decide the CFC AGM motions. I think a list of the missing governors should be posted and the areas effected should decide whether those missing Governors are really supporting the best interests of chess for that Province or Territory.
It's time to clean shop and get Governors who want to support and promote chess. Get rid of the slackers.
Why were there not more Proxies sent. I know in the past proxies have been abused. Really so many Governors sitting on the fence? It is no wonder the CFC falls apart. The fence would collapse with so much dead weight.
To have a CFC President running for re-election talking on a speaker phone, this to me shows that he really is not that interested in the future of the CFC.
If you want to be re-elected be at the meetings.

[Bob Gillanders]

Re: Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge

Bob, thanks for the report on the AGM. A few questions:

1. Who chaired the meeting yesterday for outgoing governors ?
2. Which CFC executives did attend the meeting ?
3. Did the other 2 grassroots motions on governor reform make it to the floor ?

Congrats on your master draw, and good luck today.

ps. If Alex falls asleep at the meeting this morning, take the opportunity to appoint him governor for Nunavut!! LOL

[Ken Kurkowski]

Re: Weekend Warrior & the CO Challenge - After Rd. 3

Bob, I notice you have 1.5 points after 3 rounds, a loss to Hansen in rd. 1, a draw in rd. 3 - did you win in rd. 2, if so against who? Or did you take a 1 pt bye?
Good luck with the rest of the tournament!
Ken